Following the victory by a world record score of 13-0 by the USA over Thailand in the Women’s World Cup recently, the internet has been awash with people expressing their views. Some took the view that the USA players were disrespectful (“disgraceful”, even) firstly by continuing to try hard to score more goals and secondly by celebrating every goal with great abandon and delight.
With regard to the first point, namely that the USA team should have eased off during the match when winning so easily, the feeling was that the “ruthlessness” of the USA players was not simply demeaning and disrespectful but also consequently embarrassing and humiliating for their opponents. In defence, many argue that this was a World Cup, after all; that there are far more disrespectful things happening on the soccer field; that it would be more disrespectful if they did not give of their best for the full ninety minutes; that it would have been no less (or more) embarrassing if they had lost 6-0. This is a competitive world and the Thailand players knew that when entering the competition. “The job of a team is to win, not to make life more comforting for the opposition.”
The second point though is perhaps more interesting, that they should not have celebrated all their goals so obviously and exuberantly. Again, people are quick to defend them: it is something special to score a goal in a World Cup, something people dream for all their lives; they would have celebrated in such a manner if they had scored against one of the top teams; this was the first international goal for some of the players; players are not meant to look miserable after scoring; it would have been disrespectful not to have celebrated all the goals; if they celebrate one they should celebrate them all (after which goal should they have stopped celebrating?).
We might go further, however, and not simply question why they should celebrate so loudly every goal in their 13-0 win but actually question why they need to celebrate any goal at all? We might use the same argument they themselves use to explain why it was respectful to play hard to the end: “The job of a team is to win”. That is correct; that is their job; that is what they are meant to do. Vendors do not run up the road with arms aloft when they sell an airtime card; that is their job. Till operators do not punch the air and shout “Come on!” when they cash another person’s bill – that is what they are paid to do, just as soccer players are paid to score goals. Why is there this desperate need to celebrate a goal in such a fashion?
Not only is it their job to score goals, it is also helpful to remember that a goal is just a goal. It does not matter whether it is scored in the first or the last minute; it is a goal. It does not matter if the goal is the winner or any other goal, if it is scored in a World Cup or a friendly, if it is an absolute screamer hit from forty yards or a tap-in from one yard, if it is that person’s first or hundredth goal; it remains a goal. A goal – that is all.
However, is saving a penalty more worthy than saving a person’s life? Is helping the ball over the goal line more worthy than helping an old lady across the road? Is congratulating a talented sportswoman more worthy than comforting a lonely child? Would the latter people celebrate wildly? Maybe we just need to see things in perspective and maintain a proper balance.
The sooner we realise this, the more chance our children will have to learn valuable life lessons. Our children could learn a great deal from the match. They could learn how important it is always to finish what is started, whether they do well or badly. It is important to learn from each situation, to be humble in victory and defeat, to think of others – and by all means enjoy the job we do.
Should the reader of this article now leap up from his chair and tear round the house screaming at the top of his voice in celebration? Did the writer of this article spring up from his desk and slide along the floor and wait for the family to fall on top of him? Did the sports editor of the newspaper perform a double somersault in delight when looking at the article (if he did, we would all love to see it)? No, this is an article; it is what is expected, an article that hopefully will enlighten, inspire, intrigue the readers to think more about what we are actually teaching our children through sport. Only when our children see that should we perhaps celebrate – and a smile would be sufficient.
